PBC Releases Men's Tennis All-Conference Team

SAVANNAH, GA -- The Peach Belt Conference announced the 2008 men’s tennis All-Conference team at a banquet in Savannah, Ga., site of this year’s PBC Tournament. Georgia College & State University’s Erick Siqueira was named the Player of the Year while Armstrong Atlantic State’s Tim Johannsen the Freshman of the Year. AASU head coach Simon Earnshaw was named the Coach of the Year.

Siqueira was 17-2 at #1 singles for the Bobcats this season and the highest-ranked individual player in the Peach Belt Conference at #3 nationally in the ITA standings. The junior from Sao Paulo, Brazil, was named PBC All-Conference in 2007 and a Player of the Week in 2008. He began this season with 14 straight wins at #1 singles, including five wins over nationally-ranked players. He becomes the first GCSU men’s tennis player to ever be named the Player of the Year.

Tim Johannsen, however, continues a rich tradition by being the sixth AASU player to receive the Freshman of the Year honor in the 12 years the PBC has presented the award. A true freshman from Hohenlockstedt, Germany, Johannsen is the seventh-ranked singles player in the nation after going 10-7 at #1 singles and 13-7 overall for the top-ranked team in the country. Johannsen was 5-5 against nationally-ranked opponents this season. He becomes the second straight Pirate to win the award, joining 2007 winner Christian Bergh.

Simon Earnshaw takes home his second straight PBC Coach of the Year honor for men’s tennis. He also has six awards for coaching the women’s team, including this season. For the men, Earnshaw elevated the program to new heights as the AASU team achieved its first-ever #1 national ranking. The Pirates finished the regular season 22-0 and 8-0 in the PBC, beating the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th-ranked teams in the nation along the way. AASU also earned their fourth straight PBC Regular Season Championship in 2008.

The 2008 PBC All-Conference team is listed below as selected by the league’s head coaches. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.

2008 Peach Belt Conference
Men’s Tennis All-Conference Team

Singles
Tim Johannsen, Armstrong Atlantic State
Sergi Mullor, Augusta State
Bruno Seves, USC Aiken
Erick Siqueira, GCSU
Frank Suarez, Columbus State

Doubles Teams
Dagoberto Darezzo and Edward Horne, USC Aiken
Tim Johannsen and Rafael Array, Armstrong Atlantic State
Erick Siqueira and Francis Yoshimoto, GCSU

Player of the Year: Erick Siqueira, GCSU
Freshman of the Year: Tim Johannsen, Armstrong Atlantic State
Coach of the Year: Simon Earnshaw, Armstrong Atlantic State